🧚 The Eighth Key. · page 2

Next day the parrot and the maina flew back to the ship and perched in the rigging.56 The minister on seeing them went back to his seat in the bows of the ship, so that he might listen to what they said.57 The maina said “Tell me, please, what will happen to the king, if he escapes from the demon horse?58 Will he not wed the princess and live happily ever afterwards?”59 “Nay, my heart’s desire,” said the parrot, “the king and the princess will never, I fear, be happy together.60 Even although the king escapes from the demon horse he will still be in the gravest peril.61 During the wedding the king will see a beautiful gold plate.62 He will be so pleased with it, that he will pick it up and pass it round among his courtiers to collect alms for the Brahmans, who are conducting the ceremony.63 But he will not live to pass the plate to all his courtiers, for it is poisoned and as he passes it round, the poison on it will enter the pores of his skin and will kill him in a few seconds.”64 The poor maina was as much upset at this story as she had been at the other.65 “Is there no way,” she sobbed, “to save the poor king?”66 “Yes, my beloved,” answered the parrot, “if anyone were to put on gloves and snatch away the plate before the king can handle it, he will be saved.67 But do not repeat what I have told you, for if you do, a third of your body will be turned into stone.”68 Shortly afterwards, the parrot and the maina flew away, leaving the minister sadder even than he had been the previous day.69

The next day, which was the last of the voyage, the disheartened minister went and sat in the prow of the ship, to hear anything more that the parrot might say to the maina.70 He had not been seated more than a few minutes before the two birds came and perched a few feet above his head.71 “Dear Parrot,” said the maina, “if the king is not poisoned by the plate, will he and the princess not even then marry and live happy together ever afterwards?”72 “Nay, well beloved, even then the king will not live long enough to make the princess happy.73 After the wedding ceremony, the king and the princess will be so tired that directly their heads touch the pillow, they will go off to sleep.74 While they are asleep, a snake that lives in the roof of the bridal chamber will drop poison from his fangs on to the princess’ cheek.75 When the king wakes out of his first sleep and kisses the princess, he will touch the poison with his lips and will die instantly.”76 The maina was dreadfully sorry to hear this new danger and asked tearfully whether there was no way by which the king could escape from that death also.77 “Yes, well beloved,” said the parrot, “there is one chance of his escape, but it is so remote that the king is sure to die.78 If someone were to hide himself in the bridal chamber until the poison fell and kissed the princess’ cheek, the king would be saved; nor would his saviour die either if he drank at once a large glass of milk.79 But do not tell anyone about this, for if you do a third of your body will be turned into stone.”80 The two birds then flew away.81

The minister was in despair, but he was a brave and loyal man and he resolved to save his master, even if it cost him his life.82 When the king landed and tried to mount the demon horse, the minister drew his sword and with a single stroke cut its head off.83 The king was very angry and asked the minister why he had done it; but the minister dared not explain for fear of a third part of his body being turned into stone.84 The king could not understand it, still in view of the minister’s great services he forgave him.85 The wedding ceremonies of the king and his bride were celebrated with great splendour; and in the middle of them, the king seeing a beautiful gold plate stretched out his hand to take it and to collect alms for the officiating Brahmans.86 The minister at once pushed past the king and with a gloved hand, seized the golden plate and threw it far away into a running stream.87 The king was still more angry especially as the minister, afraid of being turned into stone, would not say why he had done it.88

After the wedding ceremonies were over, the king and queen tired out with the fatigues of the day went to rest; and so sleepy were they that directly their heads touched their pillows, they fell asleep.89 The minister, however, had hidden himself behind a screen in the bridal chamber.90 He saw the snake come out of his hiding place in the roof, wriggle along a beam and then drop poison on the face of the sleeping queen.91 He stepped up to the bed, kissed the poison off the queen’s face and then took a deep draught of milk.92 The queen woke up on feeling the kiss and roused the king.93 They were both very angry at seeing the minister in their room and the king called to his guards to seize the minister and hang him early next morning from the battlements of the palace.94 The guards seized the poor old minister and took him to prison.95 There the old man asked to see the king before he died, as a last favour.96 The king had not the heart to refuse it.97 The minister was taken in chains to the royal palace and there he poured out the whole truth.98 But as he related how the parrot had warned him about the demon horse, his feet and legs turned to marble; then as he told about the poisoned plate, his body as far as his armpits turned to marble; lastly when he had finished the tale of the poison dropped by the snake, his head and shoulders became marble, too.99

The king was at first too astonished to do anything and then he wept bitterly at the awful fate that had overtaken his loyal and faithful servant.100 He put the petrified body in a room in his palace and daily for several years prostrated himself at its feet to shew his sorrow.101 In course of time the queen bore him a son and every day he used to bring the little boy into the minister’s room to shew him what a good and true servant he had once had.102 One day when the little boy was three years old, the very same parrot and maina, that had perched in the ship’s rigging, flew into the minister’s room and began talking to each other.103 The king just because he was standing close to the minister was able to follow what they were saying.104 The parrot said to the maina “The king is very sad at the fate of his minister; but he could bring him back to life now, if he wanted to.”105 “How could he?” asked the maina.106 The parrot answered “If he kills his own son and sprinkles his blood over the stone body, the minister will become flesh and blood once more.”107 The king thought long and deeply where his duty lay; at last he felt that he owed more to the faithful minister who had saved his life three times than to his son.108 He drew his sword, cut off the little boy’s head and sprinkled his blood over the marble body.109 The minister at once came to life again.110 Nor was this all.111 The minister learning of the death of the little prince prayed so earnestly to God to bring him back to life that his prayer was granted.112 The king then took the minister and the little prince to the queen’s room and told her all that had happened.113 She agreed that the king had acted rightly, even though his act would but for God’s mercy, have cost her her son.114 The minister once more resumed his duties; and he and the king, the queen and the little prince lived together happily for ever so long afterwards.115